The Avett Brothers combine bluegrass, country, punk, pop melodies, folk, rock and roll, indie rock, honky tonk and ragtime to produce a sound described by the San Francisco Chronicle as having the "heavy sadness of Townes Van Zandt, the light pop concision of Buddy Holly, the tuneful jangle of the Beatles, the raw energy of the Ramones.

The group performs concerts across the country and will be coming to SWOSU from Nashville where they are the headlining band for the Americana Fest being held September 17-21. The Avett Brothers have released albums each of the last nine years with their latest being Magpie and the Dandelion in 2013, The Carpenters in 2012 and The Avett Brothers Live in 2010. One of their most popular albums was 2007’s Emotionalism.

The band was formed in 2001 by banjoist Scott Avett and guitarist Seth Avett as they teamed up with bass player Bob Crawford. The boys immersed themselves in their musician dad's record collection, falling in love with Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Other members of the band are Paul Defiglia, keyboard; Joe Kwon, cello; and Mike Marsh, drums.

In addition to touring tirelessly, they have given memorable performances on the Late Show with David Letterman, the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon as well as during a feature spot on the PBS series Austin City Limits.

Southwestern Oklahoma State University is among the top colleges in Oklahoma. The outstanding and unique education you will receive at SWOSU is a result of small class sizes, caring and qualified faculty, accessible technology, and an engaging campus life. As a SWOSU student, you can do hands-on research alongside faculty, prepare for a satisfying and exciting career in almost any field, get degrees from Associate to Doctorate, and participate in a vibrant arts community. Financial aid and scholarships are also available. The focus is you!